News & Announcements - March 2013

Business Law Review Symposium to Focus on Transactional Lawyering

The American University Business Law Review will host their Annual Symposium on "Transactional Lawyering: Theory, Practice, & Pedagogy." The April 5 event will feature discussions about governance, lawyering and current financial markets, current conditions in practice, transactional law pedagogy, and the evolution of the field. Sponsors include FINRA, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, and Seyfarth Shaw LLP. MORE More

Program Welcomes Brazilian Labor Court Judges to AUWCL

The law school's Brazil-U.S. Legal and Judicial Studies Program and the International Judicial Academy and the National Association of Labor Law Judges of Brazil have joined efforts to organize the 7th International Conference of the National Association of Judges of the Brazilian Labor Courts (ANAMATRA). The Brazilian judges will be at the law school on April 1 & 4. MOREMore

Grotius Lecture to Open ASIL Annual Meeting, April 3

American University Washington College of Law and the American Society of International Law (ASIL) will present the 15th Annual Grotius Lecture on April 3 to open the 107th ASIL Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. This year's lecturer is Emilio Álvarez Icaza Longoria, executive secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The Distinguished Discussant is Yale Law School Professor W. Michael Reisman. Dean Claudio Grossman will provide welcoming remarks and serve as moderator. MOREMore

Monday Events Cover Timely U.S. Supreme Court Cases

From noon - 2 p.m., attend a pre-argument discussion of the same-sex marriage cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this week, Hollingsworth v. Perry and U.S. v. Windsor. As part of their ongoing U.S. Supreme Court series, PIJIP will host a post-argument discussion from 4 - 5:30 p.m. on FTC v. Actavis, determining whether pharmaceutical corporations can pay generic drug competitors to delay releasing their generic versions of brand-name drugs.

More than 100 Students to Compete in High School Moot Court Competition

This weekend the law school will host the 14th Annual National High School Moot Court Competition. More than 100 students from over 20 high schools and homeschooled students will compete. This year's problem is an 8th Amendment issue, considering whether it is constitutional to sentence a juvenile to a term-of-years that is essentially life without parole. MOREMore

Law School Welcomes Admitted Students to Campus

Today the Office of Admissions welcomes admitted students to the law school for a day-long event. Those that attend this Admitted Students' Day will meet potential classmates, current students, faculty, alumni, and administrators. Attendees will also learn about curriculum offerings and professional opportunities.

Professors Featured on C-SPAN's Book TV

C-SPAN's Book TV recently featured works by Professors Kenneth Anderson and Angela Davis as part of the program's series at American University. Watch Book TV's discussions with Anderson on Living with the UNand with Davis on Arbitrary Justice.More

Health Law Symposium & Alumni Dinner

The Health Law and Justice Society will host a symposium Thursday discussing how expanding commercial speech protections could affect the regulation of off-label drug promotion, tobacco marketing, and food and beverage labeling. Corinne Parver '82, founder of the law school's Health Law & Policy Project, will also be honored at the First Annual Health Law Dinner for her contributions to the field. MORE

Program to Screen Documentary on White Collar Crime

Join the Program on Law & Government on March 26 for a screening of the documentary film, "Crossing the Line: Ordinary People Committing Extraordinary Crimes," discussing how ordinary people fall victim to white-collar crime at various points within their careers. The director of the film, DePaul University Professor Kelly Pope, will speak following the screening. MOREMore

Alumni Relations Partners with ADVANCE to Host Networking Reception

The Office of Alumni Relations will join student group ADVANCE for a career networking reception March 21 in the Dean's Suite at the law school. Alumni will speak with first-year student members of the organization, as well as several upperclassman. ADVANCE is a mentoring initiative designed to provide professional and academic support to first generation law students at American University Washington College of Law. MOREMore

Event on Whistleblowing & The Food Safety Modernization Act

The law school will co-host an event on Food Safety & Whistleblowing alongside the Government Accountability Project (GAP), March 20 at 8:30 a.m. The program will include a conversation with USDA whistleblower Phyllis McKelvey, moderated by GAP's Food Integrity Campaign Director, Louis Clark. MORE

Women & the Law Program to Explore Reform of Higher Education and Student Loans

Join the Women & the Law Program at 1 p.m. for a panel exploring how legal regulation and public policy governing higher education and student debt might be reformed or improved so that low-income borrowers are more likely to benefit from, rather than be harmed by, enrolling in institutions of higher education. MOREMore

Student Authors Recognized at Annual Reception

The Pence Law Library honored student authors on Monday at its Eigth Annual Student Author Reception. This reception attended by faculty and staff recognizes the research and writing accomplishments of American University Washington College of Law students and celebrates their success in scholarly activities. MOREMore

Freedom of Information Day Celebration, March 18

Media and public interest groups will gather at American University Washington College of Law on March 18 to celebrate Freedom of Information Day with a series of vital sessions on government transparency. Panels of leading experts and distinguished keynote speakers will discuss issues of importance to the openness-in-government community. MOREMore

Successful Capitol City Challenge Welcomes 18 Teams

The Stephen S. Weinstein Trial Advocacy Program and The Mock Trial Honor Society recently hosted the fifth annual Capitol City Challenge at the law school. Teams from 18 law schools participated in the competition, with more than 120 state and federal judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and private practice attorneys serving as competition evaluators. MOREMore

Local Alumni and Newly-Admitted Students Reception

More than 130 Virginia alumni and newly-admitted students will join the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the Office of Admissions for a sold-out reception on March 19. The event will be held at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Crystal City. For more information, email alumni@wcl.american.edu.

Executive Certificate in Health Policy, Financing, and Law

This week the law school is holding a five-day seminar for health care executives, consultants, strategic analysts, and lawyers to earn an Executive Certificate in Health Policy, Financing and Law. Taught by experts in the field, this certificate training helps participants master and navigate the public policy landscape that is transforming the delivery of health care services in the United States. MOREMore

Alumni and Newly-Admitted Students Events in California

The Office of Alumni Relations and Office of Admissions will meet with alumni and newly-admitted students in California this week. A reception will be held Thursday at Palm Restaurant in San Diego. MORE More

New eJournal on Law, Policy & Economics of Technical Standards

American University Washington College of Law is sponsoring a new SSRN eJournal on Law, Policy & Economics of Technical Standards. The eJournal, edited by Professor Jorge Contreras distributes working and accepted paper abstracts addressing the legal, policy, and economic implications of technical standardization. MOREMore

Project Announces Launch of New Gender Jurisprudence Website

The Gender Jurisprudence and International Criminal Law Project, a collaborative project between the War Crimes Research Office and the Women and International Law Program, announces the launch of a new website, www.genderjurisprudence.org. The centerpiece of the website is the Gender Jurisprudence Collections (GJC), a database containing more than 26,000 documents including judgments, decisions, orders, and other documents issued by international/ized criminal courts and tribunals. MORE More

Students Participate in Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

American University Washington College of Law is again participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides free assistance to qualifying taxpayers in preparing their income tax returns. Nearly 25 students are volunteering their time in conjunction with D.C. Earned Income Tax Credit (DCEITC) and Capital Area Asset Builders to provide this assistance to the Washington, D.C. metro area. MORE

Second LL.M. International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition

The law school welcomes participants from nine law schools for the Second LL.M. International Commerical Arbitration Moot Competition, held March 8-9. The event is created specifically for LL.M. students, and seeks to foster the study of international arbitration for the resolution of international business and investment disputes. The competition is hosted by the Center on International Commercial Arbitration. MOREMore

Former President Jimmy Carter Visits AUWCL

On Tuesday, Former President Jimmy Carter visited campus and met with the law school's student leaders and with Dean Claudio Grossman. He then convened a meeting with ambassadors of the Organization of American States (OAS) to discuss the future of the Inter-American Human Rights System. Professor Robert Goldman and Dean Claudio Grossman, both former presidents of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, were also present for the meeting.

Panel to Discuss Careers in Compliance and Investigations

Students are invited to attend a panel on careers in compliance and investigations, hosted by the Program on Law & Government and the Office of Career and Professional Development. The event, Thursday at 4:30 p.m., will feature speakers from BAE Systems, Fannie Mae, U.S. Department of the Interior, and more. MOREMore

Alumni & Admitted Students Reception in D.C.

On March 7, the Multicultural Diversity Committee will host alumni and newly-admitted students for a reception at Clyde's of Gallery Place in Washington, D.C. MOREMore

Conference Addresses Ethical Issues in International Arbitration

On Thursday the law school's Center on International Commercial Arbitration will host "Ethical Issues in Commercial and Investment Arbitration." Panels will address currents developments related to the ethical conduct of parties, counsel, and arbitrators in international arbitration. An evening reception will also be held to welcome student participants and coaches participating in the LL.M. International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition, March 8-9. MOREMore

American University Closed Wednesday, March 6

On Wednesday, March 6 American University is closed due to weather conditions. All on-campus classes are cancelled, and university offices are closed. Shuttle service is suspended. Pence Law Library will remain open unstaffed to students via access card. American University will resume normal operations tomorrow, Thursday, March 7. More

AUWCL to Once Again Host Prestigious Humphrey Fellowship Program

American University Washington College of Law has been named a host campus for the esteemed Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for the next five years by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education. The law school has hosted the program for nearly a decade, and it is coordinated today by the law school's International Legal Studies Program and directed by Professor Padideh Ala'i. Read about the 2012-13 Humphrey Fellows. More

Jessup Moot Court Team Wins Regionals; Advances to International Rounds

The law school's 2013 Jessup moot court team recently won the Mid-Atlantic Super Regional Moot Court Competition, and will participate in the international rounds held in April. Team members Misty Seemans, Adam Crane, Kathleen Hsu, and Harini Srinivasan were coached by Catherine Newcombe, director for Eurasia at the Justice Department's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development and Training (OPDAT) and Alexis Blane, attorney adviser for Law Enforcement and Intelligence Law in the Department of State's Office of the Legal Adviser. Seemans and Crane received fifth and sixth best oralist awards. Srinivasan was selected as best oralist in the championship round.

Conference Examines Standards for Private Military and Security Industry

The law school will host an upcoming conference,"Montreux Plus Five," to assess the current status of the development and implementation of international standards for the private military and security industry. The day-long conference held March 6, is organized by the Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law's Initiative for Human Rights in Business. A live webcast will be available. MORE More

AUWCL Celebrates the Life of Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson

The law school will hold an event March 4th celebrating the life of Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson, a great friend and colleague to many in the community. Justice Chaskalson passed away late last year, and was South Africa's premier jurist in constitutional and human rights law, and a visiting professor at the law school in 2010. The event will feature reflections about Chaskalson by diplomats, scholars, colleagues, and friends. MOREMore

Third Annual Capital Area Legal Writing Conference, March 1-2

The Legal Rhetoric Program will host the Third Annual Capital Area Legal Writing Conference, March 1-2. The event features nearly 50 presenters on a range of topics from theories of legal writing pedagogy to the future of the profession. Speakers include Professor Mary Beth Beazley, director of legal writing at The Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, and Judge Patricia Wald, former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. MORE

AUWCL Celebrates Agreement with the Supreme Court of Paraguay

On Friday, the law school and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Paraguay celebrated the establishment of a cooperative agreement between the Court and the law school's Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. The Court has agreed to send its members to the law school's Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and to recognize this training as part of the Court's program of study. The agreement was formalized during a signing ceremony attended by Dr. Víctor Manuel Núñez Rodríguez, the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Paraguay. MORE More

Hispanic Law Conference Examines the Evolving Legal Landscape

American University Washington College of Law is proud to host the 16th Annual Hispanic Law Conference, held each spring as part of the law school's Founders' Celebration. The Feb. 28 event will bring together Latinos and Latinas from across the country and hemisphere—from Miami, to New York, to Puerto Rico—to discuss how the legal landscape is evolving. More than 150 attendees are expected. MOREMore